Nano/Micro-Structural Supramolecular Biopolymers: Innovative Networks with the Boundless Potential in Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture plays a crucial role in meeting the growing global demand for food while minimizing adverse environmental impacts from the overuse of synthetic pesticides and conventional fertilizers.In this context,renewable biopolymers being more sustainable offer a viable solution to improve agricultural sustainability and production.Nano/micro-structural supramolecular biopolymers are among these innovative biopolymers that are much sought after for their unique features.These biomaterials have complex hierarchical structures,great stability,adjustable mechanical strength,stimuli-responsiveness,and self-healing attributes.Functional molecules may be added to their flexible structure,for enabling novel agricultural uses.This overview scrutinizes how nano/micro-structural supramolecular biopolymers may radically alter farming practices and solve lingering problems in agricultural sector namely improve agricultural production,soil health,and resource efficiency.Controlled bioactive ingredient released from biopolymers allows the tailored administration of agrochemicals,bioactive agents,and biostimulators as they enhance nutrient absorption,moisture retention,and root growth.Nano/micro-structural supramolecular biopolymers may protect crops by appending antimicrobials and biosensing entities while their eco-friendliness supports sustainable agriculture.Despite their potential,further studies are warranted to understand and optimize their usage in agricultural domain.This effort seeks to bridge the knowledge gap by investigating their applications,challenges,and future prospects in the agricultural sector.Through experimental investigations and theoretical modeling,this overview aims to provide valuable insights into the practical implementation and optimization of supramolecular biopolymers in sustainable agriculture,ultimately contributing to the development of innovative and eco-friendly solutions to enhance agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental impact.

m^(1)A inhibition fuels oncolytic virus-elicited antitumor immunity via downregulating MYC/PD-L1 signaling

N^(1)-methyladenosine(m^(1)A)RNA methylation is critical for regulating mRNA translation;however,its role in the development,progression,and immunotherapy response of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC)remains largely unknown.Using Tgfbr1 and Pten conditional knockout(2cKO)mice,we found the neoplastic transformation of oral mucosa was accompanied by increased m^(1)A modification levels.Analysis of m^(1)A-associated genes identified TRMT61A as a key m^(1)A writer linked to cancer progression and poor prognosis.Mechanistically,TRMT61A-mediated tRNA-m^(1)A modification promotes MYC protein synthesis,upregulating programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)expression.Moreover,m^(1)A modification levels were also elevated in tumors treated with oncolytic herpes simplex virus(oHSV),contributing to reactive PD-L1 upregulation.Therapeutic m^(1)A inhibition sustained oHSV-induced antitumor immunity and reduced tumor growth,representing a promising strategy to alleviate resistance.These findings indicate that m^(1)A inhibition can prevent immune escape after oHSV therapy by reducing PD-L1 expression,providing a mutually reinforcing combination immunotherapy approach.

Sustainable Mining in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

The mining sector historically drove the global economy but at the expense of severe environmental and health repercussions,posing sustainability challenges[1]-[3].Recent advancements on artificial intelligence(AI)are revolutionizing mining through robotic and data-driven innovations[4]-[7].While AI offers mining industry advantages,it is crucial to acknowledge the potential risks associated with its widespread use.Over-reliance on AI may lead to a loss of human control over mining operations in the future,resulting in unpredictable consequences.

Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation(AF)is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia,significantly impacting patients’quality of life and increasing the risk of death,stroke,heart failure,and dementia.Over the past two decades,there have been significant breakthroughs in AF risk prediction and screening,stroke prevention,rhythm control,catheter ablation,and integrated management.During this period,the scale,quality,and experience of AF management in China have greatly improved,providing a solid foundation for the development of guidelines for the diagnosis and management of AF.To further promote standardized AF management,and apply new technologies and concepts to clinical practice in a timely and comprehensive manner,the Chinese Society of Cardiology of the Chinese Medical Association and the Heart Rhythm Committee of the Chinese Society of Biomedical Engineering have jointly developed the Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation.The guidelines have comprehensively elaborated on various aspects of AF management and proposed the CHA2DS2-VASc-60 stroke risk score based on the characteristics of AF in the Asian population.The guidelines have also reevaluated the clinical application of AF screening,emphasized the significance of early rhythm control,and highlighted the central role of catheter ablation in rhythm control.

Prevalence of visual impairment and estimation of refractive errors among school children in Kakamega,Kenya

AIM:To investigate the prevalence of visual impairment(VI)and provide an estimation of uncorrected refractive errors in school-aged children,conducted by optometry students as a community service.METHODS:The study was cross-sectional.Totally 3343 participants were included in the study.The initial examination involved assessing the uncorrected distance visual acuity(UDVA)and visual acuity(VA)while using a+2.00 D lens.The inclusion criteria for a subsequent comprehensive cycloplegic eye examination,performed by an optometrist,were as follows:a UDVA<0.6 decimal(0.20 logMAR)and/or a VA with+2.00 D≥0.8 decimal(0.96 logMAR).RESULTS:The sample had a mean age of 10.92±2.13y(range 4 to 17y),and 51.3%of the children were female(n=1715).The majority of the children(89.7%)fell within the age range of 8 to 14y.Among the ethnic groups,the highest representation was from the Luhya group(60.6%)followed by Luo(20.4%).Mean logMAR UDVA choosing the best eye for each student was 0.29±0.17(range 1.70 to 0.22).Out of the total,246 participants(7.4%)had a full eye examination.The estimated prevalence of myopia(defined as spherical equivalent≤-0.5 D)was found to be 1.45%of the total sample.While around 0.18%of the total sample had hyperopia value exceeding+1.75 D.Refractive astigmatism(cil<-0.75 D)was found in 0.21%(7/3343)of the children.The VI prevalence was 1.26%of the total sample.Among our cases of VI,76.2%could be attributed to uncorrected refractive error.Amblyopia was detected in 0.66%(22/3343)of the screened children.There was no statistically significant correlation observed between age or gender and refractive values.CONCLUSION:The primary cause of VI is determined to be uncorrected refractive errors,with myopia being the most prevalent refractive error observed.These findings underscore the significance of early identification and correction of refractive errors in school-aged children as a means to alleviate the impact of VI.

Understandings of Urban Sustainability in China:a Bibliometric Analysis Using Chinese Literatures

Cities hold a critical responsibility for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)due to their high population density,extensive resource consumption,and significant economic contributions.To examine the present state of understandings regarding urban sustainability(SDG 11:Sustainable Cities and Communities)within Chinese research communities,this study collected 15950 papers from 1994 to 2022 on the 12 indicators of SDG 11,from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),a hub of Chinese academic papers,that directly relate to policymaking.Significant research topics on SDG 11 were identified for each indicator using bibliometrics analysis approaches.The high-frequency keywords and clusters of keywords over the last three decades reveal that existing studies primarily concentrated on the physical aspects,such as transportation and environment,while there is a lack of consideration of societal aspects.This indicates a limited and biased understanding of the urban sustainability within the Chinese academic community.Hence,it is crucial to prioritize the societal aspects in order to develop a research agenda that further advances urban sustainability.

‘Jelly to Joule’:Direct laser writing of sustainable jellyfish-based ‘graphenic silicon’ anodes for environmentally remediating high-performance lithium-ion batteries

The ramifications of global climate change and resource scarcities have made it imperative to re-examine the definition of sustainable energy-storage systems.It is crucial to recognize that not all renewable resources are inherently sustainable,and their full impact on the environment must be assessed.With the proliferation of invasive jellyfish species wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems and economies worldwide,utilizing overabundant jellyfish as a carbon source presents an opportunity to create energy-storage systems that are both financially beneficial and environmentally remediating.Accordingly,a comprehensive approach to sustainability also requires eco-friendly solutions throughout the entire lifecycle,from material sourcing to battery production,without compromising highperformance requirements.Currently,most electrode syntheses for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) employed are energy-intensive,multiple-steps,complex,and additive-heavy.In response,this work pioneers the straightforward use of low-energy laser irradiation of a jellyfish biomass/silicon nanoparticle blend to encapsulate the silicon nanoparticles in-situ within the as-forming conductive carbonized matrix,creating sustainable and additive-free composite anodes.The self-standing anode is directly synthesized under ambient conditions and requires no post-processing.Here,a laser-synthesized conductive threedimensional porous carbon/silicon composite anode from raw jellyfish biomass for LIBs is presented,displaying outstanding cyclic stability(>1000 cycles),excellent capacity retention(>50% retention after1000 cycles),exceptional coulombic efficiency(>99%),superb reversible gravimetric capacity(>2000 mAh/g),and high rate performance capability(>1.6 A/g),paving a new path to future sustainable energy production.

Recycled graphite for more sustainable lithium-ion batteries

The demand for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)is driven largely by their use in electric vehicles,which is projected to increase dramatically in the future.This great success,however,urgently calls for the efficient recycling of LIBs at the end of their life.Herein,we describe a froth flotation-based process to recycle graphite—the predominant active material for the negative electrode—from spent LIBs and investigate its reuse in newly assembled LIBs.It has been found that the structure and morphology of the recycled graphite are essentially unchanged compared to pristine commercial anode-grade graphite,and despite some minor impurities from the recycling process,the recycled graphite provides a remarkable reversible specific capacity of more than 350 mAh g^(−1).Even more importantly,newly assembled graphite‖NMC532 cells show excellent cycling stability with a capacity retention of 80%after 1000 cycles,that is,comparable to the performance of reference full cells comprising pristine commercial graphite.

Towards Sustainable Grinding of Difficult-to-Cut Alloys-A Holistic Review and Trends

Grinding,a critical precision machining process for difficult-to-cut alloys,has undergone continual technological advancements to improve machining efficiency.However,the sustainability of this process is gaining heightened attention due to significant challenges associated with the substantial specific grinding energy and the extensive heat generated when working with difficult-to-cut alloys,renowned for their exceptional physical and mechanical properties.In response to these challenges,the widespread application of massive coolant in manufacturing industries to dissipate grinding heat has led to complex post-cleaning and disposal processes.This,in turn,has resulted in issues such as large energy consumption,a considerable carbon footprint,and concerns related to worker health and safety,which have become the main factors that restrict the development of grinding technology.This paper provides a holistic review of sustainability in grinding difficult-to-cut alloys,encompassing current trends and future directions.The examination extends to developing grinding technologies explicitly tailored for these alloys,comprehensively evaluating their sustainability performance.Additionally,the exploration delves into innovative sustainable technologies,such as heat pipe/oscillating heat pipe grinding wheels,minimum quantity lubrication,cryogenic cooling,and others.These groundbreaking technologies aim to reduce dependence on hazardous coolants,minimizing energy and resource consumption and carbon emissions associated with coolant-related or subsequent disposal processes.The essence of these technologies lies in their potential to revolutionize traditional grinding practices,presenting environmentally friendly alternatives.Finally,future development trends and research directions are put forward to pursue the current limitation of sustainable grinding for difficult-to-cut alloys.This paper can guide future research and development efforts toward more environmentally friendly grinding operations by understanding the current state of sustainable grinding and identifying emerging trends.

Malargüe Site Remediation:A Successful Solution for Uranium Mill Tailings

Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) has the responsibility for restoring uranium mining facilities once the operations have finished.CNEA,within its Environmental Program and in compliance with its legal responsibilities,decides to implement a restoration project for all sites related to the mining and processing of uranium ores.The Malargüe Site is located within the Province of Mendoza in the city of Malargüe.It is the first site to successfully complete its remediation.The activities consist of relocation of tailings to an engineering repository.The tailings management(encapsulation) and rehabilitation of the area was finished in June 2017.The remediation alternative for the ore tailings was selected after conducting comparative studies and submitted the project to the society for consideration.The objective of the encapsulation of the mineral tails is to isolate them from the environment,also proceeding with the decontamination and rehabilitation of the area (landscaping,post-closure monitoring and 20 years monitoring period).Encapsulation consisted of the construction of a containment cell for the mine tailings,to isolate them and prevent pollutants from entering the environment through the transfer routes.To clean the impacted areas,the soil was removed,it was incorporated into the encapsulation,and the filling was carried out with natural soils from the area.Remediation prevents radon transfer to the environment,as ^(222)Ra is an alpha emitter with a half-life of four days,which produces its own radioactive progeny.Radon progeny are solids,and when a ^(222)Ra nucleus emits an alpha particle into the air,the resulting ^(218)Po nucleus,momentarily electrically charged,adheres to any dust particle.Remediation prevents the discharge into the air containing radon and also containing dust particles charged with intensely radioactive radon progeny.The tasks mentioned make it possible to decrease radon emanation,reduce radiological risks to the public and prevent the entry of rainwater into the system.In addition,the containment system prevents the discharge of contaminated liquids into the environment,avoiding contamination of the groundwater.All these activities are according to the concepts of sustainability.

Role of outdoor trees on pedestrian wind and thermal conditions around a pre-education building for sustainable energy management

Finding sustainable energy resources is essential to face the increasing energy demand.Trees are an important part of ancient architecture but are becoming rare in urban areas.Trees can control and tune the pedestrian-level wind velocity and thermal condition.In this study,a numerical investigation is employed to assess the role of trees planted in the windward direction of the building complex on the thermal and pedestrian wind velocity conditions around/inside a pre-education building located in the center of the complex.Compared to the previous studies(which considered only outside buildings),this work considers the effects of trees on microclimate change both inside/outside buildings.Effects of different parameters including the leaf area density and number of trees,number of rows,far-field velocity magnitude,and thermal condition around the main building are assessed.The results show that the flow velocity in the spacing between the first-row buildings is reduced by 30%-40% when the one-row trees with 2 m height are planted 15 m farther than the buildings.Furthermore,two rows of trees are more effective in higher velocities and reduce the maximum velocity by about 50%.The investigation shows that trees also could reduce the temperature by about 1℃around the building.

Dynamic regulation of the irrigation-nitrogen-biochar nexus for the synergy of yield,quality,carbon emission and resource use efficiency in tomato

Integrated water and fertilizer management is important for promoting sustainable development of facility agriculture,and biochar plays an important role in guaranteeing food production,as well as alleviating water shortages and the overuse of fertilizers.The field experiment had twelve treatments and a control(CK)trial including two irrigation amounts(I1,100%ETm;I2,60%ETm;where ETm is the maximum evapotranspiration),two nitrogen applications(N1,360 kg ha^(−1);N2,120 kg ha^(−1))and three biochar application levels(B1,60 t ha^(−1);B_(2),30 t ha^(−1)and B3,0 t ha^(−1)).A multi-objective synergistic irrigation-nitrogen-biochar application system for improving tomato yield,quality,water and nitrogen use efficiency,and greenhouse emissions was developed by integrating the techniques of experimentation and optimization.First,a coupled irrigation-nitrogen-biochar plot experiment was arranged.Then,tomato yield and fruit quality parameters were determined experimentally to establish the response relationships between irrigation-nitrogen-biochar dosage and yield,comprehensive quality of tomatoes(TCQ),irrigation water use efficiency(IWUE),partial factor productivity of nitrogen(PFPN),and net greenhouse gas emissions(NGE).Finally,a multi-objective dynamic optimization regulation model of irrigation-nitrogen-biochar resource allocation at different growth stages of tomato was constructed which was solved by the fuzzy programming method.The results showed that the application of irrigation and nitrogen to biochar promoted increase in yield,IWUE and PFPN,while it had an inhibitory effect on NGE.In addition,the optimal allocation amounts of water and fertilizer were different under different scenarios.The yield of the S1 scenario increased by 8.31%compared to the B_(1)I_(1)N_(2) treatment;TCQ of the S2 scenario increased by 5.14%compared to the B_(2)I_(2)N_(1) treatment;IWUE of the S3 scenario increased by 10.01%compared to the B1I2N2 treatment;PFPN of the S4 scenario increased by 9.35%compared to the B_(1)I_(1)N_(2) treatment;and NGE of the S5 scenario decreased by 11.23%compared to the B_(2)I1N1 treatment.The optimization model showed that the coordination of multiple objectives considering yield,TCQ,IWUE,PFPN,and NGE increased on average from 4.44 to 69.02%compared to each treatment when the irrigation-nitrogen-biochar dosage was 205.18 mm,186 kg ha^(−1)and 43.31 t ha^(−1),respectively.This study provides a guiding basis for the sustainable management of water and fertilizer in greenhouse tomato production under drip irrigation fertilization conditions.

Pyrometallurgical recycling of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries

The global importance of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)has been increasingly underscored with the advancement of high-performance energy storage technologies.However,the end-of-life of these batteries poses significant challenges from environmental,economic,and resource management perspectives.This review paper focuses on the pyrometallurgy-based recycling process of lithium-ion batteries,exploring the fundamental understanding of this process and the importance of its optimization.Centering on the high energy consumption and emission gas issues of the pyrometallurgical recycling process,we systematically analyzed the capital-intensive nature of this process and the resulting technological characteristics.Furthermore,we conducted an in-depth discussion on the future research directions to overcome the existing technological barriers and limitations.This review will provide valuable insights for researchers and industry stakeholders in the battery recycling field.

Synthesis of waterborne polyurethane-humic acid cross-linked biomass porous materials for the adsorption of methylene blue

A series of adsorbent materials(WPU-HAx-y)with a three-dimensional porous structure,green sustainability,and excellent performance were prepared and evaluated for the removal of methylene blue using nontoxic and environmentally friendly waterborne polyurethane as the matrix material and humic acid,a biomass material,as the functional material.The newly synthesized adsorbents were characterized by infrared spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy,specific surface area,and thermogravimetric.The effects of contact time(0-8 h),starting concentration(10-100 mg·L^(-1)),pH(3-11),solution temperature(30-60℃),and coexisting ions(Ca2+,Na+,K+,Mg2+)on the performance were investigated.Pseudo-first-order,pseudo-second-order,elovich,and intra-particle diffusion models were used to analyze the adsorption kinetics;the Langmuir,Freundlich,Temkin,and Dubin-Radushkovich adsorption isotherms were evaluated;and the adsorption behavior of the adsorbent materials was found to be more appropriate for the pseudo-second-order model for chemical pollutant removal than the Langmuir model,which depends on monolayer adsorption.WPU-HA2-3 stood out with a maximum adsorption capacity of 813.0081 mg·g^(-1) fitted to the pseudo-second-order and 309.2832 mg·g^(-1) fitted to the Langmuir model,showing superior adsorption performance and regenerability.

Addressing inclusion,innovation,and sustainability challenges through the lens of economic geography:Introducing the hierarchical regional innovation system

The world is facing dramatic challenges related to environmental sustainability at an accelerating pace.In this context,the field of economic geography(EG)has been playing an important role in understanding both the socioeconomic and technological dimensions of these challenges,as it deals with a variety of complementary notions and perspectives.Departing from this lens,our aim is to explore a conceptual framework that can help us to understand environmental changes relating to multi-dimensional territorial development,notably in eco-nomic contexts where inequality is high,and stratification based on hierarchies regulate social and economic life.Based on the territory concept,we propose the original notion of a hierarchical regional innovation system(HRIS)that emphasises the pervasive role of hierarchies(powers)in regional innovation systems and illustrate its value with evidence and case studies from extant literature on sustainability transitions.The HRIS can help us understand and promote development paths considering the contribution of inclusive eco-innovations(another original conceptual amalgam).Through some empirical cases from other studies in low-carbon transitions,we show the application of the HRIS(and inclusive eco-innovation)framework.In conclusion,we provide incen-tives to explore new regional innovation systems,alongside the HRIS,adapted to different regions worldwide and centred on the inclusiveness of people and places.

Preface:Development and utilization of pumped storage in closed/abandoned mines

China has embarked on an extensive and sustained endeavor to harness its coal resources for a substantial period.However,the depletion of coal reserves in mining regions has necessitated the closure or abandonment of numerous mines,resulting in a marked increase in the number of such facilities.Parallel to this,China is vigorously advancing the development of a novel energy power system,aimed at transitioning the power sector from a high-carbon,fossil fuel-dependent paradigm to a low-carbon,clean energy footing.

Making the Complicated Simple:A Minimizing Carrier Strategy on Innovative Nanopesticides

The flourishing progress in nanotechnology offers boundless opportunities for agriculture,particularly in the realm of nanopesticides research and development.However,concerns have been raised regarding the human and environmental safety issues stemming from the unrestrained use of non-therapeutic nanomaterials in nanopesticides.It is also important to consider whether the current development strategy of nanopesticides based on nanocarriers can strike a balance between investment and return,and if the complex material composition genuinely improves the efficiency,safety,and circularity of nanopesticides.Herein,we introduced the concept of nanopesticides with minimizing carriers(NMC)prepared through prodrug design and molecular self-assembly emerging as practical tools to address the current limitations,and compared it with nanopesticides employing non-therapeutic nanomaterials as carriers(NNC).We further summarized the current development strategy of NMC and examined potential challenges in its preparation,performance,and production.Overall,we asserted that the development of NMC systems can serve as the innovative driving force catalyzing a green and efficient revolution in nanopesticides,offering a way out of the current predicament.

Biotin-modified Galactosylated Chitosan-gene Carrier in Hepatoma Cells Targeting Delivery

Our previous studies have successfully grafted biotin and galactose onto chitosan(CS)and synthesized biotin modified galactosylated chitosan(Bio-GC).The optimum N/P ratio of Bio-GC and plasmid DNA was 3:1.At this N/P ratio,the transfection efficiency in the hepatoma cells was the highest with a slow release effect.Bio-GC nanomaterials exhibit the protective effect of preventing the gene from nuclease degradation,and can target the transfection into hepatoma cells by combination with galactose and biotin receptors.The transfection rate was inhibited by the competition of galactose and biotin.Bio-GC nanomaterials were imported into cells’cytoplasm by their receptors,followed by the imported exogenous gene transfected into the cells.Bio-GC nanomaterials can also cause inhibitory activity in the hepatoma cells in the model of orthotopic liver transplantation in mice,by carrying the gene through the blood to the hepatoma tissue.Taken together,bio-GC nanomaterials act as gene vectors with the activity of protecting the gene from DNase degradation,improving the rate of transfection in hepatoma cells,and transporting the gene into the cytoplasm in vitro and in vivo.Therefore,they are efficient hepatoma-targeting gene carriers.

Enhancing sustainability in phosphate ore processing:Performance of frying oil as alternative flotation collector for carbonate removal

Recycling waste frying oils for the synthesis of flotation reagents presents a promising avenue for sustainable waste management.Moreover,it offers a cost-effective solution for crafting a specialized collector designed to efficiently remove carbonates and enhance phosphate enrichment in froth flotation processes.This study focuses on the synthesis of an anionic collector using the saponification reaction of a frying oil sample,subsequently applied to the flotation of calcite and dolomite.To elucidate the adsorption mechanisms of the frying oil collector(FrOC)and sodium oleate,a reference collector,on fluorapatite,calcite,dolomite,and quartz surfaces,comprehensive experiments were conducted,including zeta potential measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.Results revealed diverse adsorption affinities of the molecules towards these minerals.To assess the practical performance of the collector,flotation tests were conducted using a natural phosphate ore mixture,employing a BoxBehnken experimental design.Notably,under optimized conditions(pH 9,1000 g/t of FrOC,3.5 min of conditioning,and 6 min of flotation),FrOC exhibited excellent performance,with calcite and dolomite recoveries exceeding 80%,while apatite recovery in the concentrate fraction remained below 10%.This work exemplifies both circular economy practices and the distinctive approach to sustainable mineral processing.

Ethnocultural heritage of the North-Eastern Caucasus as a factor of eco-tourism development

The North-East Caucasus is a multi-ethnic mountain macroregion with a rich cultural heritage,insufficiently studied in the context of the ecotourism development.To fill this gap and identify promising directions of environmentally safe forms of tourism,the author used in-depth review of modern literature to investigate the features of ecological tourism and the problems of preserving ethno-cultural heritage,and used historical and comparative-geographical methods to analyze the development of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the North-Eastern Caucasus in different historical periods and to identify the geographical peculiarities of the distribution of historical and cultural monuments(tower buildings),pilgrimage sites and centers of traditional crafts and trades.As part of the planned expeditions,the author personally visited some historical monuments and handicraft centers for a deeper study of ethno-cultural heritage.The cartographic method made it possible to visualize the results.The results of the research show that the ethnocultural heritage of the North-East Caucasus is formed by material(historical and cultural monuments)and immaterial elements of culture(language,customs,traditions,ethnic identification)of those peoples,who live here.The ethnocultural heritage is considered as the most important factor in the development of the tourism industry.It is revealed that this region has a large potential for development in various areas of eco-tourism.The highest concentration of religious buildings focused in mountainous areas.Medieval tower structures were erected in mountainous and high-altitude areas.From ancient times to the present day there have been preserved various types of crafts and trades(pottery,metalworking,burka making,jewelry making,carpet weaving,gold embroidery,wood and stone carving,etc.),which can become objects of ecotourism.The ethnocultural heritage of the North-East Caucasus needs to be preserved and protected.To solve this problem,the author recommends to focus on a balanced combination of traditions and innovations in this industry,also considering the current state and development of the tourism industry in the country and in the world.The research highlights that the development of scientific approaches to plan and manage tourism development can contribute to the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage of indigenous peoples.This is a complex and labour-intensive task,but its solution will have a multiplier effect in the social sphere,in economic development and in environmental security,which is in line with the principles and concept of sustainable development.